Microsoft puts a price on Surface RT: starts at $499, or $599 with Touch Cover

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Microsoft has just revealed, via its own store, that if you want a slice for yourself, you can do so starting from $499. That price will get you the 32GB version, without the touch cover, with pre-orders available now, penciled in for a 26th of October delivery date. If you must have that cover, it'll set you back another $100, and the same amount again if you want to hop up to 64GB of memory.

At that price I really have serious doubts. The only really successful non-iPad tablets have been those that significantly undercut Apple. Sure this offers twice the memory for $499, but I don't think that's going to make much of a difference. Especially since the screen is lower resolution and, this being Windows RT rather than Windows 8 proper, there will be almost no ecosystem at launch.

I haven't been tempted by the iPad, but this does tempt me because it's Windows and I love that keyboard cover. I have no need for it atm, but if I didn't already have a desktop and a new laptop, I'd be very tempted to buy this to replace the laptop.

I just received the pre-order email. The pre-orders go live at 9:00 am Pacific.

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You asked us to keep you informed of the latest developments with Surface. We’re
thrilled to announce that Surface is available for pre-order today
starting at 9am Pacific Time on Surface.com. Get your order in today!

This is an ARM based tablet. It can't even run Windows 8 proper. At most you might be able to install Android on it. Though from what I've heard the bootloader is locked, so you probably can't even do that.

Of note:
- Tegra3 T30 with 2GB RAM, 32GB storage
- Dual 720P cameras so it should be pretty good for Skype
- Full MS Office 2013 included
- 31.5 w-Hr battery, recharges in 2 hours
- DLNA native server
- Available at 27 Microsoft stores and another 37 Holidaay Kiosks in assorted Malls in the US
- US and availability online: "Online shoppers in the U.S. as well as the UK, Canada, Germany, France, Australia, China and Hong Kong will be able to go to Surface.com to buy it as well."

Basically, the pricing is (as promised) competitive with the iPad and the device offers good value at $499. The full MS Office is a *big* plus (worth $129 right there) as is the external monitor and keyboard support. (Not sure about mouse support.)

The biggest minus is the screen (if they haven't upgraded it from WXGA).

It should do fine but unless the screen has been quietly upgraded I'll wait for the Pro model and get a FireHD9 or NookHD+ in the interim.

Don't the current major tablets all support external monitors (via HDMI) and keyboards (via Bluetooth and/or USB)?

Not all.
Some of the better (read: more expensive) Android tablets do but the Ipad only has the proprietary connector. The Surface has actual onboard ports, including USB host., and micro SD support. CNN reports it also has MIMO Wifi-N, like the FireHD but unlike the iPad.

"Along with a Nvidia Tegra 3 CPU (which may be running at 1.5 GHz), Microsoft has stuffed an impressive 2 GB of RAM inside the Surface. It also features an 802.11N Mimo Wi-Fi radio, Bluetooth 4.0, an accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, dual microphones, stereo speakers, an HD-out port, a full-sized USB 2.0 port and a micro SD-slot."